With each passing day, political drama engulfs the landscape of Gujarat as reservation formulas, allegations and counter-allegations, breaking of former allegiances and formation of new ones have almost become the norm.
Wednesday’s highlight was Hardik Patel’s press conference wherein he finally revealed the reservation formula devised by the PAAS and the Congress. According to Hardik, the new formula will not disturb the existing reservation structure under Articles 46, 31(C), 15 (4) and 16 (4) of the Indian Constitution.
He even went on to claim that nowhere in the Constitution is it mentioned that reservation cannot go above 50 percent. In fact, it was a couple of Supreme Court judgments that had suggested that quota cannot breach the 50 percent benchmark.
The BJP was quick to react with Deputy CM Nitin Patel calling the PAAS fools to accept the Congress proposal and Arun Jaitley calling it a game of deception. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President Bharatsinh Solanki reacted to Patel and said that the people of Mehsana will give him a certificate for using such language.
On the other hand, Khodaldham and Umiyadham temple trusts are raising objections claiming Hardik had not consulted the reservation formula with them.
The two temple bodies are the highest religious orders for the Patidars. Hardik during Wednesday’s press conference claimed that the temple trusts have been taken in confidence. However, the temple trusts say they were never consulted.
Meanwhile, the Congress manifesto committee will meet on Thursday to prepare the final draft of the manifesto which will include the Patidar reservation formula. The manifesto will be declared on Friday.
The Congress has also moved the EC over the release of a fake candidates’ list which went viral on Sunday, before the official list was released. The EC has directed Ahmedabad Police Commissioner to submit its report within 24 hours.
Jan Vikalp Morcha’s Manifesto
Former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela’s new party the Jan Vikalp Morcha released their manifesto which promised 10 percent quota to the most backward classes within the 27 percent purview of the OBC reservation. The manifesto also promises an unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 to class 12 passouts, Rs 4,000 to graduates and Rs 4,500 to post graduates. The party has fielded 74 candidates for the first phase but will not contest against CM Vijay Rupani and Jitu Vaghani from the BJP, and Shaktisinh Gohil and Paresh Dhanani from the Congress.
Deluge of Nominations
An average of 19 nominations per seat has been filed for the first phase of polling in Gujarat. A total of 1,703 nominations have been filed which will fall in days to come once the dummy candidates withdraw. In all 788 independent nominations have been filed with the highest number coming out of Surat, at 99. Fifty three Muslim candidates have also filed nominations as independents from eight Assembly seats.
Congress and BJP leaders have raised objection to the nomination filed by Chotu Vasava’s son Mahesh Vasava from the Bhartiya Tribal Party for the Dediapada seat. The BJP and the Congress allege that Mahesh Vasava has been convicted by an Additional District Court in Ankaleshwar on a case dating back to 2009, wherein Mahesh was convicted of assaulting Congress leader Balu Vasava and was sentenced to three years simple imprisonment from 5 July 2016.
Dry State Goes Wild
Since the day the election dates were declared in the state, seven lakh litres of alcohol have been caught within a span of 28 days across Gujarat. The alcohol was seized from districts bordering Rajasthan and Gujarat by an EC appointed surveillance team, which has 555 flying squads. These squads captured Rs 14.93 crore worth Indian-made foreign liquor and country-made liquor worth Rs 21 lakh.
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